One of my earliest introductions to wholistic sound, sound that has the power to heal the body-mind-spirit was Tom Rapp's album "One Nation Underground". The band was Pearls Before Swine. I was no older than 13. The album came out in 1967. It was an album and a group that opened up my mind and my emotions, unlike anything I had heard up to that point. When I heard them I couldn't get enough- I listened to their albums over and over.
Tonight I am revisiting that album- I wanted to hear the song "Snow Queen" which is from a different album, "Beautiful Lies You Could Live In" (1971), an album I listened to over and over as a teenager. When I went to YouTube, however, the first thing that came up was "One Nation Underground". I heard the first note and was hooked. Interesting to look back at a time in my life that was so charged, so full of idealism and angst, right in line with the times. As I listen to them now I hear music that shaped my mind and my consciousness and is a piece of who I am today.
When I was 17 I was suspended from boarding school for going out and listening to Pearls Before Swine when they were playing at The Salt Tavern in Newport, RI. It was well worth it! I was the instigator on that outing- no one else knew who they were. I wrangled three of my friends, one of whom was 18 and could order beer, to go with me. As it turned out, our waitress had gone to the same school we were all attending and she called the headmaster after bringing us a pitcher of beer! At some point I got up to use the restroom and when I came back he was sitting at our table with the rest of my friends. He smiled, said hello to me and let us listen to the rest of the set before he made us all leave. I think he actually let us finish our beer!
I loved all of their albums- each one became my favorite, one after another. They were like revelations to me, touching places inside of me that I didn't know existed and allow me to open to my self.
Tonight I am revisiting that album- I wanted to hear the song "Snow Queen" which is from a different album, "Beautiful Lies You Could Live In" (1971), an album I listened to over and over as a teenager. When I went to YouTube, however, the first thing that came up was "One Nation Underground". I heard the first note and was hooked. Interesting to look back at a time in my life that was so charged, so full of idealism and angst, right in line with the times. As I listen to them now I hear music that shaped my mind and my consciousness and is a piece of who I am today.
When I was 17 I was suspended from boarding school for going out and listening to Pearls Before Swine when they were playing at The Salt Tavern in Newport, RI. It was well worth it! I was the instigator on that outing- no one else knew who they were. I wrangled three of my friends, one of whom was 18 and could order beer, to go with me. As it turned out, our waitress had gone to the same school we were all attending and she called the headmaster after bringing us a pitcher of beer! At some point I got up to use the restroom and when I came back he was sitting at our table with the rest of my friends. He smiled, said hello to me and let us listen to the rest of the set before he made us all leave. I think he actually let us finish our beer!
I loved all of their albums- each one became my favorite, one after another. They were like revelations to me, touching places inside of me that I didn't know existed and allow me to open to my self.
Tom Rapp was the creative force behind Pearls Before Swine. I found this fascinating article about him online. He is a lawyer now. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/features/rapp.htm